If you were looking after the bike of a cyclist who is riding around 120miles a day, for around 50 days, what would you be doing each day?

Riding conditions will be varied, mainly dry, sometimes dusty, sometimes wet.

Lube chain and quickly check bolts every night? Grease cables and check over bolts thoroughly every week? Replace cables/bearings/tyre etc when needed?

Spares-wise we are thinking tyre, tubes, couple spokes, bottom bracket, hub bearings, cleats, chain. Very little braking will be done.

Bar tape? – how long does that stuff last?

Ta,
Duane.

6000 miles…tyres, chains, cassette, possibly chainring will wear.

Spare cables, spokes at least – whether you cover more possible failures, depends on importance of event and how tough the riding will be on the bike.

Mech hangar?

Where are you going? Sounds like a good trip!

what would you be doing each day?

Pub?

Chains and checking frequently, lube, spare cables, tyres and brakes.

Thats my guess

Greasing some gussets, and not checking all the bolts everyday, or you’ll bugger ’em up.

If it’s all on flattish roads, probably not much. Read a great book about an Irish nun who did similar mileage on a huge, heavy bike – she only had to fix the odd puncture. Was it, “Ireland by Bike”? It’s upstairs and I’m too lazy to go and check… Devra someone I think.

Depending on the weather the only thing I’d be doing every day would be checking the tyres for cuts, bits stuck in them and topping up the pressure. A weekly check of cables, bolts, etc would be fine.

Bar tape should last about 3000 mile but again depends on the weather.

I’d prepare for every eventuality but I wouldn’t be touching the bike until the guy riding the thing said such and such needs fixed.

If it’s not broke don’t fix it as they say.

Sounds magic getting away for that long, would love to do something for that length of time, would be more of a fully loaded meander for me mind, but it’s us there as ones of life’s ambitions! 🙂

Thanks for the replies guys.

Seosamh77 – who said he’s not just cycling that far from home everyday? 😛 I’ll be posting more up about the ride in the next few days 🙂

What kind of tools would you guys take? Will be very minimalistic due to weight/size constraints. Thinking;
Good set of allen keys
Adjustable spanner
Philips screwdriver (mech adjustment)
Pliers (normal or needle nose?)
Cable cutters
Spoke key
Chain tool
Tyre levers
Pump

Any torx bolts on a normal road bike?

Anything that needs serious work/specific tools will probably require a visit to a bike shop anyway.

Ta,
Duane.

Oh and probably a cheap dish washing brush and tooth brush for cleaning the bike.

forget the dishwashing brush and the toothbrush.

take babywipes for keeping the moving bits clean

and take a dustpan brush for brushing the rest of the dried mud off the next day.

all that happens when you attack oily bits with brushes is you move the oil from the chain to the frame – and clean nothing really.

Cheers. Is lubing the chain everyday a bit excessive?
Just thinking of taking some standard chain lube and all purpose grease.

certainly not . if you keepthe outside of the chain clean and lubbed it wont wear as fast asif you strip all its lube out with fancy degreasers !

If it’s not wet very often, use Finish Line Teflon (dry) lube on a properly prepped (ie fully degreased, clean and dry) chain and the chain won’t need more than a quick re-lube each day whenever it’s got time to dry off properly. 4oz per 2-3000 miles isn’t unrealistic in dry road conditions. I assume it’s road as you say 120 miles a day ) but it’ll do similar duration off road.

Cheers. Is lubing the chain everyday a bit excessive?
Just thinking of taking some standard chain lube and all purpose grease.

You would be better using a dry lube as this will keep the bike much cleaner. I’ve used a few, rock ‘n’ roll dry, white lightning (lube not cider) and muc off stuff.

The rock ‘n’ roll gold is the best of them although their ‘absolute dry’ would be worth a go. If its raining you could lube mid ride if necessary, although it should last the day in the wet.